Tensile Testing of Surgical Sutures

Sutures are used in a variety of different surgical procedures to close wounds and aid in tissue healing. They are manufactured from a multitude of absorbable and non-absorbable materials, and may be a single filament or braided, with or without a coating. Tensile strength is a critical measure of performance during and after surgical procedures. The strength of different knotting techniques must also be evaluated. Precise, consistent, and reliable measures of strength and strain are essential for product development and quality control.

The challenges of this type of testing are:

• Secure gripping of specimens
• Repeatable strain measurement

Instron® Solution:

• Secure gripping of specimens – Pneumatic cord and yarn grips are ideal for performing tensile tests of suture specimens. The design of the grips ensure specimen alignment, reduce occurrence of jaw breaks, prevent slippage, and simplify specimen insertion.
• Repeatable strain measurement – The Instron model XL (long travel) extensometer is ideal for testing high strain materials, and allows for the use of multiple gauge lengths. The XL is easily applied to the specimen with one-handed operation.